The lavishly decorated interior.
Francis met his bride of one year while in NA; she’s now a drug and alcohol counselor. They spent six months as friends before he even held her hand, and heeded the advice of their counselors who cautioned them to “be obedient” and abstain until their wedding in order to bless their marriage. Francis counts his wife and marriage as one of the biggest blessings he has ever received. “[Michelle] listens to me. She understands me,” he said. “Love is an action word, and she shows it. I am working to nurture my marriage and my relationship to the world as a whole.” Francis described how the Lord delivered him the love of a third child, Richard, through his marriage to Richard’s mom.
Walk through the glass doorway into his storefront, and you might have the uncanny, otherworldly experience of entering into Narnia. Francis has 60 pieces or more of various styles and stages of antique wood furniture under way, with a dozen or more warm, friendly and colorful pieces in his showroom. Using water-based latex paints, he creates pallets of different colors and interesting textures along the wood to emphasize and flatter the lines and curves of a piece once he repairs it. His gallery hosts examples of work in different styles to display “possibilities,” and though there are price tags which range from $250 to $2,200, he prefers customers bring in a piece for custom work using the examples set out in his store. His next foray is to “Mod Podge” (a combination glue, sealer and finish) a print onto a dresser, and paint around it. The overall look is extremely sophisticated and high-end, and if these pieces were in a Manhattan boutique, each dangling price tag would include an extra zero.
His studio has a bunk bed and desk combination unit painted in heavenly blues and purples bedecked with white stars and dreamy clouds. There is a 60 foot by 13 foot mural painted with brooms of a fantasy-scape of mountains, water and castles on the wall. Francis points to an ornate headboard with gold trim and a colorful hot air balloon soaring over a field of flowers painted in the panel as one of his favorite pieces. Open swirls, Harlequin patterns, flowers, shimmer, graining, geometric patterns, wisps, distressing, vines, unique, complementing colors, subtle details, murals and new hardware are found on every piece. “These are just examples,” he said, “I try and keep myself out of it and think of what my customer wants.”
“I always had ‘something’ for beliefs,” he explained. Once he got deeper into recovery, Francis realized he wanted his relationship with God in his recovery process. He said he connected with his faith through a spiritual awakening, which he said continues to develop abundantly in every aspect of his life, especially now that he recognizes the need to invite it in.
Francis even had his tattoo shop blessed and began to run it respectfully, more honestly and clean — removing the dark walls, ceilings, nasty carpet and terrifying, angry face masks wall art — and creating an altogether lighter, different vibe.
“My daughter dances in church with flags, and we sing along to Sounds of Life radio in the car. She puts her hands out the car window into the breeze to feel the Holy Spirit,” he marveled. “The Holy Spirit prays for us. There is an arsenal of angels who carry on for us every day. We are so loved.”
Francis added that fellow addicts in recovery stop into his shop nearly every day for these types of discussions over coffee, and he is pleased to host them. Francis feels that helping broken people is a part of his calling, not to be ignored.
Five-year-old Josephine said her favorite piece of furniture her daddy ever made is a table which resembles the sun. “I have a little desk with a little drawer with flowers and dragonflies and lady bugs,” she said. “It’s from him, and I love it so much and it’s my favorite colors.” Josephine is too young to know her father any other way. “The Lord Christ. My three kids, my wife, my family. Their love. They saved me. I was broken.”
